Improving performance of 12 GA cylinder bore?

[BeeMaa]

Then, I have a friend, who is hunter, but he doesnt have a shotgun. He hunts with rifle.

He has shown some interest to come with me for bird hunting. If he comes for hunting pheasants this winter with me, one consideration is to borrow him this gun, in the lack of any better solution. So, I am working on options for hunting ammo.

Even better. Have your friend pick up the tab on the multi-choke barrel. No one rides for free.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

Like the guys above, I would pattern it with a few different loads to see what I was working with. You may not need to do anything, but you always can later.

 

[fourfive8]

No matter all other variables, making sure the pellets are as perfectly spherical as possible upon leaving the muzzle is of primary importance for best shot patterns. Plated and buffered shot that is hard and spherical to begin with is one of the best ways to achieve this. But it is somewhat of an uphill battle with a cylinder bore no matter the ammo. Shoot some patterns on big sheets of paper to determine practical hunting range limitation. Also shoot some patterns using a gun(s) with full and modified chokes to establish some reference. It takes more than one and up to several pellet strikes with pellets large enough for penetration into the vital part of a birds body for consistent, non-crippling loss kills. That’s what research and experimental tests clearly show. Steel of proper size may be a reasonable option.

 

[WAB]

No matter all other variables, making sure the pellets are as perfectly spherical as possible upon leaving the muzzle is of primary importance for best shot patterns. Plated and buffered shot that is hard and spherical to begin with is one of the best ways to achieve this. But it is somewhat of an uphill battle with a cylinder bore no matter the ammo. Shoot some patterns on big sheets of paper to determine practical hunting range limitation. Also shoot some patterns using a gun(s) with full and modified chokes to establish some reference. It takes more than one and up to several pellet strikes with pellets large enough for penetration into the vital part of a birds body for consistent, non-crippling loss kills. That’s what research and experimental tests clearly show. Steel of proper size may be a reasonable option.

Not just plating, but high antimony content of the lead shot as well. Some companies plated soft shot which accomplished absolutely nothing.

 

[fourfive8]

Exactly. If pellets are of soft metal like lead, then they need to be alloy hardened, so-called magnum shot. And they needs to be spherical before plating. Pellet deformation during the firing process is caused by three things in average lead loads- Inertia of pellets scrunching each other during acceleration down bore, rubbing on bore surface and being compressed at choke constriction. Obviously no choke, so no choke compression in cylinder bore and good shot cups protect at least most of the lead column going down the bore and good shot cups/wads can mitigate some of the acceleration deformation

 

[mark-hunter]

Do you guys have reccomendation for some factory load, to improve range and performace?

 

[WAB]

Do you guys have reccomendation for some factory load, to improve range and performace?

In lead, fiocchi golden pheasant.

 

[Nevada Mike]

It has been demonstrated that SLOWER loads tend to tighten patterns.

I used to shoot a 16 Gauge Lang BLE. I had it opened to skt/cyl and used it on wild chukars and Huns. deadly within 40 yards with an ounce of 7's. Open chokes can be your friend. What did Mike McIntosh say?... "Most of us are over choked."

 

[fourfive8]

Here are two pics of some I have on hand in 20 ga. Also available in 12 ga. I believe both Remington and Federal also have comparable loads. One of the most effective shotshells I ever used for pheasant was one of the Federal R&D shot shell developments from back in the 80s. It was the original in this type shot shell. Other companies have followed with their own within this type since. IIRC it was in their Premium line. It was a 12 ga 2 3/4" with magnum payload, copper plated, buffered shell with #5 shot. #5 shot (in lead) has been my go-to for pheasants since. Not really required for early season or pen raised but best for me for late season, wild birds. For steel it would be #3 or #4. And the issue for any ammo these days becomes availability

 

[flatwater bill]

I have often sung the praises of TSS......but for stopping bear attacks. There is no way I would shoot shells that cost $10-15 each for pheasants. I use Fiocci Golden Pheasant like many above stated, but the best advice you received was to pattern your shotgun, and practice. Get the bird in the center of the pattern. And try Win AA heavy trap 7 1/2.....it has the highest antimony content of any of the loads I shoot, and is also a surprisingly good upland killer. Best of luck. Let us know how it goes....................FWB

 

[Philip Glass]

As the subject says:

Is there a possibility to improve performance (hunting range) of cylinder bore, 12 GA, by proper choosing the cartridges? Chamber 3inch.
For pheasants.

Some thoughts:
- Using 3 inch shells (as opposed to 2-3/4 which are most commonly used)?
- Using some specific cartridges with specific type of wad? Which cartridges or ammo to be recommended?
- Using steel shot? (or other type of non lead shot, under assumption that steel shot makes tighter patterns) Which ammo?

What would you recommend?
And in that case what can be expected of effective range? is 30 yards, too much?

Why cylinder bore? Not interchangeable?

 

[mark-hunter]

Why cylinder bore? Not interchangeable?

Ehmmmm, you should read the small print in my earlier posts.

I took pump action Mossberg for steel challange shooting, and cylinder bore for that is just fine.
For hunting small game and feather I have proper OU, B525, removable chokes, etc...

So, one of my friends, wants to join me on a pheasant hunt, and maybe he will need to borrow shotgun from me. And that one is cylinder bore, Mossberg. So I am thinking to improve perfomrace of the gun for him for that occasion. B525 I am not borrowing!